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John's Journal...
Entry 200,
Day 5
FIVE SECRETS FOR CATCHING SMALLMOUTH BASS
Diamonds for Smallmouth
EDITOR'S
NOTE: Larry Nixon has fished competitively for
more than 27 years. He's won the Angler-of-the-Year title on the BASS
Circuit twice and the BASS Master's Classic in 1983. He's appeared at
24 BASS Masters Classics. He's also won four MegaBucks tournaments.
QUESTION: Is there any other lure you recommend to bring
in a mess of smallmouth?
ANSWER: Yes, I catch a lot of smallmouth on Strike King's Diamond Shad.
Anytime the smallmouth are holding in water depths of 5 to 7 feet, and
they won't come up to the surface to take a spinner bait, I can usually
catch them on the Diamond Shad by reeling it really fast. Remember, I
said that the smallmouth like to chase a bait. When they don't want to
chase the spinner bait close to the surface, they will chase the Diamond
Shad when you reel it deeper in the water. I like to fish the Diamond
Shad around bushes, rocks, small points and any place that I think the
smallmouth may be holding during the prespawn. The prespawn seems to be
when the smallmouth are the most aggressive and most likely to chase a
bait like a Diamond Shad. On a windy day, if you can find the wind blowing
in on a gently-sloping rocky bank or little points, the smallmouth will
gobble up the Diamond Shad. I like to cast the lure on 10-pound-test line
on a baitcasting rod and reel.
QUESTION:
What color do you like to use?
ANSWER: My favorite color of Diamond Shad is metallic gold with a black
back. This color is close enough to a crawfish color, and the bass really
seem to like it. My two favorite colors are the chrome blue and the gold
with the black back. If the water is clear and the sun is bright, I'll
choose the chrome color with the blue back. If the water is not so clear,
or I'm fishing an overcast day, then I like the gold with the black back.
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